270 jobs lost in Shelby County

270 people will lose their jobs in Shelby County this month, as companies are closing offices and facilities here.

AmeriGroup Tennessee Inc., part of AmeriGroup Corp. (NYSE: AGP), closed its Memphis office on Nov. 1, laying off 130 workers, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The company’s office was at 1407 Union.

Last year, the managed health care services company started offering health care coverage to 170,000 people enrolled in the state’s TennCare program. In July 2008, the company said it will shutter subsidiary Memphis Managed Care Corp. on Nov. 1, following the company’s losing bid for one of two TennCare contracts in West Tennessee, Memphis Business Journal reported July 4.

AmeriGroup bought MMCC from the Regional Medical Center at Memphis in a $12 million deal late last year. The purchase was intended to put AmeriGroup in contention for the TennCare contracts.

AmeriGroup said in July the closure would affect 160 Memphis employees and 70 employees around West Tennessee. A company spokesman was not immediately available Monday to comment on the layoff.

Constar Inc., a subsidiary of Constar International Inc. (NASDAQ: CNST), will close its facility Dec. 8. The total number of affected workers is 79, according to the labor department. The company is located at 89 Eastly Street in Collierville. It is a global producer of polyethylene terephthalate plastic containers for food, beverages and other uses. A company spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

United American of Tennessee, a subsidiary of giant health care management company United American Healthcare (NASDAQ: UAHC), has laid off 38 workers from its 1769 Paragon Place office.

United American spokesman Stephen Harris said the layoff of Memphis administrators is a result of UAHC-TN’s losing bid on the state’s TennCare contract. UAHC-TN's TennCare members transferred to other managed care organizations on Nov. 1, after which UAHC-TN “will perform its remaining contractual obligations through its TennCare contract expiration date of June 30, 2009,” according to a UAHC release.

Henry’s Tackle LLC will close on Nov. 28, laying off 23 employees. Located at 4001 Hickory Hill, it is a wholesaler of sporting and recreational goods. The company’s manager was not immediately available for comment.